Page 12 - Designing Ways 244

TRADE
WINDS

Introducing

Clout SA

The innovative initiative

that is taking South African
design to the world

une 2021 will mark the official launch
of Clout SA, a purpose-first enterprise,
Jcreative agency, and business-to-
business (B2B) market-maker for South
African design, which states among its globe, from Washington DC to Dhaka, out of the Spier Arts Trust which has
goals promoting South Africa’s creativity, and each space showcases bold, bespoke run the Spier Arts Academy since 2009,
craftsmanship, heritage, and creates furniture items which are procured training artisans in the field of ceramics
opportunities for collaboration between through the Portal to Africa. and mosaics, as well as supporting the
designers and makers. While many As part of the Nando’s Design development of visual artists.
members of the public will be finding Programme, Clout SA has developed The HUB platform works to create
out about Clout SA for the first time, and facilitated one of South Africa’s top collaborative commercial opportunities
the agency’s team has been hard at work biennial design competitions, the Nando’s for artisans and artists. While this is the
building up to this moment for nearly Hot Young Designer Talent Search, which official public unveiling of the Clout SA
seven years. has launched and supported tens of local x HUB collaboration, there are already
Much of that work was done on Clout design careers, including Mash T. design some sterling examples of what the two
SA’s founding project, the Nando’s Design founderand Thabiso Mjo, one of the first organisations have achieved together.
Programme, and eventually, the Nando’s winners of the competition in 2016. Mjo Previous Clout SA and HUB collaborative
Portal to Africa, an online shopping later described the competition as having projects include the striking serving
platform for designer furniture, that has “changed the trajectory of my entire life”. counter of the Nando’s restaurant in Soho,
facilitated more than R60 million worth In 2020, she went on to make history London. This features artwork by HUB
of sales across 20,900 products since it when she became the first South African artist Henk Serfontein, that was rendered
was launched in 2018, making it one of designer ever to have her work collected in mosaics by HUB artisans. Another
the country’s largest exporters of South by the Louvre’s Musée des Arts Décoratifs, example is the Potjie Server by designer
African design. There are approximately 1 Paris, for their permanent collection. Thabisa Mjo. The beaded panels on the
200 Nando’s restaurants located across the At its core, Clout SA specialises in front of the server were designed by Mjo
creating interior solutions for hospitality, and created by the skilled Qaqambile
retail, residential and corporate clients – beaders of HUB. The server was later
its approach foregrounds a South African featured as part of the Sacrosanct
design narrative as a point of distinction. exhibition at Milan Design Week in 2019.
The next phase of the enterprise’s work As part of the opening of Right Here,
is growing the South African design Right Now!, from 21 June to 25 June 2021
industry, and turning South African at the home of HUB, the four-storey iconic
design into a globally recognised category Union House building in Cape Town’s
brand, Clout SA has invited corporate eastern district, Clout SA and HUB are
partners who share these values to join its inviting architectural and interior design
mission by taking part in collaborations professionals, corporate procurement
with its designer-maker partners. agents and facilities managers, to join
As part of Decorex’s month-long Cape their mission to support, develop,
Town Design Trail programme in June invest in and build the future of South
2021, Clout SA will open an exhibition African design. The first three days of
of South African art and design curated the exhibition will be opened to the
by Clout SA creative director Tracy Lee abovementioned professionals, while the
Lynch, titled “Right Here, Right Now!”. last two will be open to design learners
The exhibition will not only introduce and limited members of the public.
Clout SA to the industry and invited dw
members of the public, but also unveil a www.clout-sadesign.co.za
collaboration with HUB, a platform borne

12 Issue 244 • dw